Summer internship hosts, students, and their families gathered in the Burke High School auditorium on August 4th to celebrate the end of the Summer Internships working with various departments in Charleston County School District.

Each student received a certificate of completion and had the opportunity to share about their summer internship experience. Representatives from departments that hosted the summer interns also spoke about their experience working with students.

More pictures from the event:

Thanks to everyone that made this summer’s CCSD internship program successful for 24 wonderful students from high schools throughout Charleston County School District!

Please enjoy this slide show with pictures from a summer packed with students enjoying work-based learning experiences.

Lowcountry Tech Academy (LTA) began as technical career academy program in Charleston County School District and recently merged with Burke High School as part of a four academy campus.

As part of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Career Academies workforce readiness initiative, Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) has been working closely with LTA students for two years in a variety of content areas including Cyber Security, IT and Digital Art.

The CDCA volunteers’ investment of time and resources has helped provide hands-on and programmatic assistance, including work-based learning site visits and a state of the art cyber security camp. These real world experiences help make academic content truly come to life for students.

Last spring, students in the Digital Art and Design major classes worked directly with CDCA on a joint project to create banners for CDCA’s Mobile App contest. The banners were displayed during the C5ISR conference. Students discussed the project requirements with professional designers from Mag Design.

LTA Digital Art and Design teacher Julie Zeigler provided guidance as students crafted several working drafts. The design process continued and included meeting with the designers to hear feedback and gain suggestions. Students redrafted their designs, and finally a winner was chosen to represent the collaborative work of the students.

“The ability for students to work directly with designers and receive one-to- one feedback in a relevant setting that would be used in a real world application helped motivate students. We appreciate the opportunity for students to develop technical and 21 st century skills so valuable to employers”, said Zeigler.

Thanks to all that made this terrific project-based learning opportunity possible for CCSD students!

Congratulations to 25 high school students from schools throughout Charleston County School District working in their summer 2016 internships.

These students are earning a paycheck and high school credit while working in a position aligned with their career interests.

Thanks to the following summer 2016 internship hosts:

Internship Host

Students Hired

School(s)

Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

1

Wando HS (1)

CCSD Procurement

2

Wando HS (1) ; West Ashley HS (1)

CCSD SMAART Camp

5

Garrett Academy (2) ; R. B. Stall HS (2), James Island CHS (1)

CCSD Human Resources

1

Baptist Hill MHS (1)

CCSD Science Dept

2

James Island CHS (2)

CCSD Information Technology

1

West Ashley HS (1)

CCSD Personalized Learning

2

West Ashley HS (1) ; R. B. Stall HS (1)

CCSD Plant Operations / Facilities

2

Baptist Hill MHS (1) ; Garrett Academy (1)

CCSD Communications

1

R. B. Stall HS (1)

CCSD Federal Programs

1

R. B. Stall HS (1)

Lowcountry Tech Academy

3

James Island CHS (1), R. B. Stall HS (1) ; Military Magnet (1)

CCSD Ed Tech

2

R. B. Stall HS (1) ; James Island CHS (1)

CCSD Office of Teacher Effectiveness

2

R. B. Stall HS (2)

25 Total

Here are some of the interns at their orientation hosted by Lowcounty Tech Academy, at their work sites, and at the annual staff picnic and field games at the CCSD Bridge View Drive Operations offices just before the Independence Day holiday.

Special thanks to recent Baptist Hill MHS graduate and 2015 summer intern Richae Haynes for coming back to speak to 2016 interns at their orientation meeting – Best of luck at Clemson University Richae!

2015 summer intern Richae Haynes spoke to the interns at their orientation meeting

Students, parents, educators, and professionals from throughout the community gathered downtown at the Woolfe Street Playhouse to celebrate another successful year of ACE Mentors impact in CCSD classrooms.

The ACE Mentor Program connects Charleston area architects, contractors, and engineers with local schools for special project-based learning opportunities and field trips.

Each class came up with a project to design, and with the assistance of their assigned ACE Mentors, created detailed plans including material costs. Each student presented their part of the class project at the banquet. Check out the collection of pictures of their presentations in the gallery below!

The keynote speaker for the event was the Honorable John Tecklenburg, Mayor of the City of Charleston. He shared encouraging words for the students, and challenged them to continue their education to ensure Charleston’s future work force will be prepared to keep up with construction demands. Mayor Tecklenburg also thanked the volunteers that make the ACE Mentors program possible in our schools.

Three CCSD students were recognized at the end of the event with $1000 scholarships to continue their education in college:

Abraham Montero – R. B. Stall HS

Danielle Newsome – R. B. Stall HS

Roxanne Archie – Lowcountry Tech Academy

Thank you to Rob Turner, local chairperson of the Charleston ACE Mentors chapter, and all the generous ACE Mentors for their investment of time and talent in CCSD students this year!

Mr. Ramon Lavender, a student at North Charleston High School was among the group attending a SC Cyber luncheon hosted at Trident Technical College last week.

Also attending from CCSD schools were Ms. Sarah Earle and Ms. Amanda Duke from Lowcountry Tech Academy and Mr. Darwin Shorters from St. Johns High School.

The Hon. Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the United States Air Force was the keynote speaker. She shared an overall update on the US Air Force and spoke specifically about the critical need for qualified cyber-security professionals in all branches of the military. She also mentioned the success of the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition.

“After her speech, Ramon was very interested in meeting Secretary James and waited patiently for his turn,” said Ms. Earle.

The event was the first of many planned by SC Cyber, a statewide consortium formed to educate students, government officials and businesses on cyber-security skills that will create and attract jobs in the growing technology industry to the state.

Students and educators from throughout the Charleston region were invited to get an in depth behind the scenes tour of the Space and Naval Warfare Atlantic Systems Center, known as SPAWAR in Charleston.

Each participant received a badge and detailed instructions prior to their facility tour; “there are top secret missions underway behind the gates” they were told.

The day included on site tours of the Vehicle Integration Bay, the Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Lab, and the Air Traffic Control simulation and training center, which also happens to include the Meteorology and Antarctica Remote Operations Facility, where air traffic is controlled for the the South Pole!

Commanding Officer Captain Scott Heller addressed the students over lunch and encouraged them to persist through college to be best prepared for the many career pathways available at SPAWAR and throughout the world, both for enlisted military and civilian contractors.

Special thanks to the event organizers team led by LaKeisha Williams and the wonderful SPAWAR education team.

This competition was open to all CCSD students and, according to event organizers and the selection committee chair, hundreds of designs were received from all across the district.

Designs submissions were required to include elements that represent Charleston, Youth, and/or Fitness and Running. Color was also an important consideration in the selection of design winners. Both high school winners were from Ms. Liz Tonelli’s Digital Art & Design classes at Lowcoutnry Tech Academy and both also represented Burke High School as their home school.

Tyeshia Williams’ design placed 1st; she received a $100 prize and her design will be reproduced on the official Youth Marathon T-Shirt.

The 2nd place winner of a $50 prize was Tamara Snider. Her design will be used for the medal that marathon participants receive.

Thanks to all the cooperating school districts, economic development offices, and local colleges for their support for the event!

Thanks to the Exchange Park Fairgrounds for hosting the event, to Grady Johnson & the AMAZING SC Biz / Charleston Regional Business Journal Team for being the presenting sponsor, and all the sponsors and exhibitors that made the career fair possible – looking forward already to year #2!

Students from Lowcountry Tech Academy and Burke High School recently assisted with a special mural on Rutledge Avenue sponsored by the Citadel. The Digital Art & Design and Computer Networking students from LTA enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to the “Charleston Strong” wall.